CMM 2010-09-12

Minutes of Meeting for Worship for Business

Concord (NH) Monthly Meeting

Religious Society of Friends

9th Month 12, 2010

Concord (NH) Monthly Meeting gathered in Meeting for Worship for Business at the Merrimack Valley Daycare Center in Concord, NH.  Friends present were:  13

The meeting began with a period of silent worship and a brief reading from an article, “Practicing Discernment Together.”

9.1  Sojourning Member:  The Meeting considered and discussed the request from Richard Kleinschmidt that he remain a member of Concord Monthly Meeting even as he embarks on a two year Peace Corp assignment to Lesotho, Africa.  Some options for the Meeting’s on-going support of Richard which were discussed include: 

  • a letter of introduction for Richard to carry,
  • the establishment of a committee of support in Concord Meeting,
  • the Meeting’s commitment to hold Richard and Emily and their work in the light.

Richard is asked to consider these options and get back in touch with the Ministry and Counsel Committee.

9.2  Housing Committee Report:

  • The Housing committee met recently to begin the process of choosing and purchasing furniture.
  • The plumbing and electrical contractors will be returning to complete their work in the next two weeks.
  • The Housing committee is requesting help with the last of the painting and cleaning work that must be completed before we move in (hopefully at the end of September or early in October)
    • The Housing committee will send out an announcement requesting that individuals sign up for specific time slots in the next few weeks to help with completing the work.
  • The committee is also requesting help from parents, and interested others, in planning and completing the outside children’s space.

9.3  Meetinghouse Dedication and Opening Celebration:

9.3.1  The meeting established an ad-hoc committee to plan the Meetinghouse dedication and opening celebration. Sara Smith, Greg Heath and Alisa Barnard will serve in this capacity.

9.3.2  After much consideration the meeting chose November 7th as the date for the Dedication celebration.  We also discussed the possibility of also hosting an open house around the holidays to accommodate those who are unable to attend the dedication.  The latter event will be discussed at greater length in the future.

9.4  Establishment of the Property Committee:

9.4.1  The Nominating Committee is asked to recommend members for a Property Committee whose charge will include maintenance of the meetinghouse facility and of a calendar for meeting house use, communication of expectations for the upkeep and use of the building and upkeep of the relationship with the Appalachian Teen Project.

9.4.2  David Woolpert indicated his interest in serving on this committee.

9.5  Community Meetinghouse Upkeep:  The meeting discussed and accepted a proposal for the full community’s participation in the upkeep of the Meetinghouse and approved a “trial run.”  The responsibility for regular review of this model will fall under the purview of the Property Committee. [cut and paste from Greg’s email]

9.6  Minute of Gratitude:  Friends approved the following minute of gratitude for our long relationship with Merrimack Valley Day Care:

As Concord Friends Meeting nears the time it will take leave of its home of four decades, we wish to express our deep appreciation to the Merrimack Valley Day Care Center, its employees and its Boards of Directors.  In sharing your space, we have felt a part of the service you provide to the families of Concord, and we regret that we will no longer be supporting your mission as tenants.  It was our dear member Roberta Nichols who brought us together and for whom we mourn together.  You have been a constant in the life of our spiritual community and you have been a wonderful landlord.  You understood our failings and helped us to be better tenants when we shared space directly in classrooms.  When we thought of moving, you thought of how we could stay together.  Though we will miss you, we are satisfied to know that Concord Friends Meeting will always have friends at Merrimack Valley Day Care.

9.7  Support of Muslim Community:  Those gathered considered how Concord Friends Meeting can reach out to the Muslim community especially in light of the feeling that there is a growing anti-Islamic sentiment in the United States.

Some suggestions that the meeting considered were:

  • Extending an invitation to the local Muslim community for conversation over dessert.
  • Planning a more formal educational program that would be open to the public.  This may include partnering with AFSC.  Possible venues include the Unitarian Church in Concord, the NH Council of Churches building in Concord.
  • Drafting a “letter to the editor” from the meeting, which may or may not also be signed by the Concord Interfaith Council

The meeting accepted sending a concern to the Interfaith Council through our representative indicating both our concern and the fact that we are working on a corporate statement in support of religious tolerance.

Minutes accepted when signed,

Ruth Heath, Co-Clerk

Alisa Barnard, Recording Clerk

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